Direction and safety signal for motorcycles



Feb. 6, 1951 M. H. HOLLINGSWORTH 2,540,394

DIRECTION AND SAFETY SIGNAL FOR MOTORCYCLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1, 1948 Invent0r vllnlnrllllll LIA A WI N Attorney Feb. 6, 1951 M. H. HOLLINGSWORTH DIRECTION AND SAFETY SIGNAL FOR MOTORCYCLES Filed 001;. 1, 1948 p 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A? Mad/"I've H11. 0/ I in yum/ A Allarney Patented Feb. 6, 1951 OFFICE DIRECTION AND SAFETY SIGNAL FOR MOTORCYCLES Maurice H. Hollingsworth, Corpus Christi, Tex. Application October-l, 1948, Serial No. 52,195

'1 Claim.

The present invention relates to direction and safety signals for motorcycles. and it consists inthe combinations, constructions and arrange.

ments of parts herein described and claimed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combined direction .and safety signal for motorcycles.

Another object of the. invention is to provide a signal for motorcycles which will be visible in all horizontal directions.

Another object of the, invention is the provision of an illuminated direction indicator for motorcycles which is simple in operation and easily controlled from a position convenient to the operator..

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel means for mounting a directional indicator.

Another object of the invention is the prov'ision of a device of the character set forth which is so constructed as to afford a maximum of safety to the operator of a motorcycle in the event of a collision.

' A further object of the invention is the provision of a directional indicator having an arrow forming a part of the invention and novel means for selectively rotating the arrow from a remote position to indicate to following trafiic the direction of an intended turn.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure l isa side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention mounted upon a-mo; tor-cycle,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view; partly in section, of the invention shown in Figure .1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational' view thereof,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 44 of. Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an element of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive,

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the invention,

.Figure 8 is an erflarged sectional view taken along line ill-.8 .of Figure 7,

4 Figure .9: is an enlar ed sectional view taken arm line-meant Figure ".7,

1 fi ure-1BisanenlamertverucaleeetionalvlemA partly in elevation, of the device shown in Fig:

ure 7,

Figure 11 is a rear elevational view of a further modification of the invention,

Figure 12 is a reduced side elevational view of" Figure 11, and

Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line l3 l3 of Figure 12.

Generally there is provided a combined safety signal and direction indicator for motorcycles comprising a vertically extending pole adapted to be mounted upon the rear of amo'torcycle preferably to that portion of the rear fender adapted to hold the convent onal license plate. The pole is preferably formed of rubber which will remain normally rigid'but which is yieldable in the event of a collision with other objects. Atop the pole, which in some instances is above the height of an operator seated in the motorcycle saddle, there is "pivotally mounted an illuminated arm, preferably in the-form of an arrow, and there is provided means for selectively moving the arm. to the'right or tothe left from a control lever mounted. conveniently to the operator. Spring means is provided for returning the arm to a normal vertical position. Ina modified form of the invention, the .pole is shortened and is provided with a. normally forwardly pointed arrow adjacent the illuminated top of the pole and the arrow itself Mean is provided whereby the move the pole itself to right .or

same time automatically turn the pole to display the arrow in such manner that it points to the right or to the left as-the case may be. A fur.-

ther modification .of the invention discloses a vertically extending pole. having illuminated ar row of the kind just described adjacent the top of they pole andimeans for turning the pole. upon its axis whereby to display the arrow selectively tothe right or to the-left.

Referring now more particularly to the draw-.- ings, there is shown therein in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, :onetform of the. invention in which a vertically: extending hollow pole l0 formed f; will normally re rubber of a consistency which main in the position shown but which will yield upon encountering another object and which pole is mounted in a socket I] having acoil spring 12 in the bottom thereof and which socket is aliixed to the license plate portion [3 of the rear fender Id of a motorcycle.

is also illuminated. operator may" left and at the acn top-of the pen In therelis pro; i ontall'y extending axle l5. shallow spigntally mounted unonthe against the action "of the spring has affixed forwardly thereof, by means of screws H or the like a pulley Hi to which is affixed by means of a nail l9 or the like one end of a cable 20. The cable 20 extends through a cable housing 2| along the side of the pole l and socket l i and is held thereto by means of clamps 22. It then extends forwardly and is afiixed to the lower end of a lever 23 which is provided with an operating handle 24 at its upper end. i

The free end of the arm I6 is provided with a transparent lamp housing 25 and a coil spring 26 encircles the axle l between the pole iii and the arm 16 and is provided with an integrally formed hook 21 which bears against the arm 16 and a like integrally formed hook 28 which bears against the pole [0.

In the operation of this form of the invention it will be apparent that, if the motorcycle operator desires to indicate a turn to the right, he will draw the handle 24 rearwardly. This action will causethe lower portion of the lever 23 to move forwardly thereby imparting a movement to the cable 20 which will cause the pulley l8 to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5 and thereby cause the arm IE to move to the right as viewed from the rear of the motorcycle. To return the arm to normal upward position, it is necessary only to allow the handle to return midway. of a bar 29 which is provided with suitable latch notches (not shown). The spring 25 is so constructedthat it will normally urge the arm It to indicate a turn to the left as viewed from the rear of the motorcycle. Hence, releasing the handle 24 and allowing the same to move forwardly .will allow the spring 26 to so move the arm [6. It will be understood that in this and the modified forms of the invention to be hereinafter described a suitable lamp will be provided within the housing 25 and that connecting wires may be disposed within the hollow portions of the arm 16 and pole l0.

. In-the form of the invention shown in Figures 7 to 10, inclusive, there is provided a vertically extending arm 30 formed of rubber as aforesaid and provided at its upper end with a lamp housing 3| and which is revolubly mounted upon a vertical cylindrical extension 32 of the license plate portion 13 of a motorcycle rear fender.

. At either side of the pole 30 there is provided a vertically extending stop member 33 which stop members are mounted in the top of the portion 13 and the pole is provided with a forwardly extending pin 34. Adjacent the upper end of the pole 39 there is mounted a normally forwardly extending arm 35 which is in the form of an arrow and provided with atail portion 36 and a head portion 3?, which latter is formed of transparent material and provides a housing for an electric lamp (not shown).

A cable 38 is affixed to the pole 39, as indicated at 39, and is wound several turns therearound.

The cable 38 extends through a cable housing 43 to a lever convenient to the operator as above described.

A coil spring 4! has its upper end affixed to the pole 30, as shown at 42 and encircles the pole and has its lower end affixed to the portion l3 as shown at 43.

In this form of the invention, it will be seen that the spring ll will normally hold the pole in such position that the pin 34 will rest against one of the stop members 33 at which time the arrow 35 will be pointed to the left. Movement of the lever 24 will cause the pole 30 to rotate 4i and'it' will lie-apparent that .when thepln 34 is pointed in a 4 forward direction, the arrow will likewise be pointed forwardly and that, when the pin bears against the right stop member 33, that the arrow will point to the right as viewed from the rear of the motorcycle.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 11 to 13, inclusive, there is shown a pole of rubber as heretofore described revolubly mounted in a socket 5| having a dependent dog 52 pivotally connected to an upwardly extending upon the portion B of the fender M. A tension spring 54 interconnects the rear of the socket 5| and one end of a segmental gear 55 affixed to the portion [3 at the rear of the pole 50. The spring 54 connects that end of the gear 55 which is at the left when viewed from the rear of the motorcycle.

At the upper end of the pole 50 there is provided a lamp housing 55 .in the form of an arrow head. Adjacent the lower end of the pole 50 there is afiixed a gear wheel 59 which is enmeshed with the segmental gear 55. A cable is connected to an ear 6| on the socket 5!.

In the operation of this form of the invention, it will be understood that an operating handle will be provided at a point convenient to the driver in the manner aforesaid and that the spring 54 will normally hold the pole 50 in a position to the left of the segmental gear 55 as viewed from the rear of the motorcycle and that the other positions, that is to say the vertical position and the position to the right may be caused by drawing the cable 60 against the action of the spring 54. When the pole 55 in its vertical position, the head 55 will be held in a horizontal position parallel with the longitudinal axis of the motorcycle. Rotation of the same to the left will cause the pole 50 to revolve in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from above and rotation of the socket to the right will cause a clockwise movement of the pole 50 as, Thus it will be seen that when the pole 5D is moved to the left that the arrowlike head 56 will point to the left and that viewed from above.

when the pole 59 is moved to the right the head 56 will point to the right due to the action of the gear 59 with the segmental gear 55.

In all forms of the invention shown in Figures 7 to 13, inclusive, it will be apparent that the pole may be colored relatively dark on that portion showing to the rear when the same is in normal upright position and that relatively light on its forwardly exposed surface. Hence, when the same is turned to the right or left a strip of the light colored (or light-reflecting, if desired) portion of the pole will be exposed to the rear, thus attracting additional attention to the signal.

While but certain forms of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A device of the character described comprising a base, a laterally revoluble member pivotally connected at its lower end to said base, an out-l wardly extending pin formed integrally with the upper end of the laterally revoluble member, a hollow cylindrical pole encompassing said pin and axially revoluble upon said laterally revoluble member and having an outer and an inner end, a segmental gear mounted upon said bases adjacent the inner end of the pole and parallel to gear, and a cable affixed to the pole adjacent its 10 lower end and extending to a remote position.

MAURICE H. HOLLINGSWORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,337,405 Kovzovich Apr. 20, 1920 1,392,506 Kiessling Oct. 4, 1921 1,522,388 Quintal Jan. 6, 1926 1,614,766 Aclerer Jan. 18, 1927 1,624,236 Hammersley Apr. 12, 1927 1,684,806 Reed Sept. 18, 1928 2,307,798 Kook et al. Jan. 12, 1943 

